Piper PA-38-112 accident near Sarasota, Florida, August 18, 1983
On August 18, 1983 at about 2:54 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N213SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida (Sarastota-Bradenton airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1983 · about 2:54 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Sarastota-Bradenton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N213SP · registry record · serial 38-78A0541
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON HER LST SOLO X-COUNTRY & WAS LANDING AFTER COMPLETING THE 2ND LEG OF THE FLT. SHE STATED THAT SHE FLARED HIGH, THE ACFT BOUNCED TWICE, THEN THE NOSE GEAR FAILED. AN ENG MOUNT, THE FIREWALL & THE PROPELLER WERE ALSO DAMAGED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 39 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,181 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Myers FL
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 4, 5,006 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from SRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.